Although India is aiming to increase its higher educationgross enrolment ratio(GER) to 30 per cent by 2020, it is unlikely to achieve the target before 2036 at the current pace, the report said. GER indicates the percentage of students enrolled for an education grade against the number of students who qualify for the programme.

"To achieve a GER of 30 per cent by 2020, Indian higher education system will need to augment its capacity by additional 37 million seats,"DTZsaid. It took the higher education sector over 60 years to achieve a GER of 12 per cent.

While reforms in regulatory policies and usage of new technologies are expected to facilitate growth and dissemination of higher education, it is unlikely to be a substitute to creation of physical infrastructure, the report said.